Toy and game.



A. N. HERMAN. TOY AND GAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4,1912.

1,032,501, Patentgd July 16,1912. I

ALEXANDER N. IIERMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TOY AND GAME.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

Application filed May 4, 1912. Serial No. 695,045.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER N. PIER- MAN, a resident of Newark, countyof Essex, State of New Jersey, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toys and Games,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus used for the purpose of playing games of chance.

Among its objects are the provision of an apparatus whereby the human element or the personal equation of the player is substantially eliminated, so that the results produced are dependent entirely upon chance alone, and are unaffected by the manner in which the device is manipulated by the individual player.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of an apparatus of the kind referred to, which shall be simple, neat and inexpensive to manufacture, and which shall be durable and not easily injured, and the operation of which will be simple and readily understood by the players.

, With the foregolng andrelated objects in view, my invention consists in the parts, im-

provements and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

While I have shown and shall describe one specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is for the urposc of illustration merely, and that my invention-is not confined thereto, but is as broad as my claims. In the drawings forming a part of the specification Figure 1 is. a central, cross-sectional view of one form of game apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig.1.

The reference numeral 1 indicates the base of the apparatus, which in the form shown consists -in a block of wood or similar material, though it is to be understood that it may have any form and be made of any material suitable forthe purpose. The upper portion of member 1 is dished or concaved as shown at 2 and is provided immediately adjacent to its dish shaped border with a 5 plurality of recesses or pockets 3, 3 separated closes therecess or opening 4. This diaphragm' is bowed or bulged in the same her 1 and pivoted thereto at 11. button 12 is provided at the outer end of the manner as the bottom of an ordinary oil can,

it being shown in the drawing in full lines as bowed or bulged downwardly, and in dotted lines as bowed or bulged upwardly. A pocket 7 or other receiving means is provided on the diaphragm 5 to receive a movable object, such as the ball 8, with which games may be played. When the diaphragm 5 is pushed upward beyond its intermediate position, it will immediately spring to. its limit in the upward direction, thus throwing the ball 8 to a moderate height; the ball falling upon the upper convex surface of the diaphragm 5 or on some other point of the base member 1., will ultimately be deposited in one of the recesses or pockets 3,.

For the purpose of the convenient operation of the diaphragm 5 to cause it to throw the ball 8 upward, I preferably provide a lever 9 fitting in a recess 10 in the base mem- A finger lever 9 and the opposite end is formed with a knob or head 13-immediately beneath the center of diaphragm 5 and the pocket 7. A stop 14 is provided to limit the downward movement of the lever 9 upon application of pressure tov the finger button 12. While'I have illustrated this lever arrangement for the purpose 'of actuating the diaphragm so as to make itpass' the middle point and throw the ballupward, it will be understood that my invention is not limited thereto but that other means may beresorted to for imparting an initial upward movement to the diaphragm 5.-

A guard is preferably provided around the outeredge of the apparatus for preventing the balls in play from jumping out. As shown, this guard consists of an annular ring 15, preferably of metal, having an inwardly extending lip 16, thus making it,

serve as an effectual guard for preventing the ball in play from going beyond proper bounds.

Characters indicating the value of the recesses or pockets 3 in the game, are placed in or adjacent to the said recesses or pockets. In the form of device which I have selected for illustration, the value of the separate pockets is indicated by numerals placed therein. In the form shown, 16 such pockets are provided and the numerals indicating their value in the game have been arranged so that the sumof adjacent numerals should be as large innumber as possible, the numerals being arranged for this purpose by numberin alternate pockets or recessesin sequence in a clockwise order, beginning with the numeral 1 and continuing until the numeral 8 is reached. Then the numeral 9 is placed between 8 and 1, and the higher numerals up to 16 are arranged alternately in anti-clockwise direction. lViththis arrangement the sum of adjacent numerals except for the 9 or 1--is either 17 or 18. 'Other arrangements may be resorted to and other characters may of course be chosen for the purpose of designating the value of the various pockets, the arrangement which I have described above being chosen for the purpose of adding'to the interest of the game, making it possible for a subsequent player to displace the ball deposited by a prior player and to drive it'into an adjacent pocket which may be ofa value greatly different from that in which it was originally deposited, thus greatly increasing the element of chance in the playing of games with the apparatus.

An apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention may beused for playing a variety of games according to the directions which may be given by the manufacturers, or the choice of the individual player. One way in which the game may be played therewith is the following: A number of balls 8, preferably of different colors, may be provided and each player may be given balls of one color. The players may then place the balls given them in turn in the pocket 7, and by pressure on the button 12 put the ball in play by imparting an initial upward thrust 'to the diaphragm 5, and-the diaphragm, being pushed in this way be; yond the middle position, will bow upward suddenly and throw the balls in the pocket upward, whereupon it will "fall backward upon the upwardly bowed surface of the diaphragm 5 or elsewhere within the bounds of the base member 1, and will ultimately come to rest in one of the pockets 3. The

i next player places the ball of the color given him in the pocket 7, either first pushing the diaphragm 5 downward, or pushing it downward at the same time or after the ball is placed therein, and this player may in turn depress the button 12 placing the ball of his color in play, and after it has been thrown upward it will come to rest in one of the pockets with or without having displaced any balls already played from the pockets in which they have been deposited, to other pockets. This sequence may be continued until all the balls are played and the score may be computed by adding up thetotals of the numbers of 7 pockets or recesses in which the balls of the colors chosen by the different players have.

been deposited, or in various other manners as rules may be established for the computation of scores. As already stated, however, the playing of the game as outlined above is merely illustrative, and a variety of games may be played with the apparatus which has been illustrated.

Having now described my invention I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, I

means for imparting movement to an object,

and hand operated means for setting said spring means into action, substantially .as set forth. 3. In an apparatus of the class described, a member provided with a plurality of recesses or pockets, a buckled diaphragm provided with means for receiving a movable object, and hand operated means for moving said diaphragm past the middle position leaving it free to springto its opposite extreme position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a member provided with a plurality of recesses or pockets, a buckled diaphragm centrally arranged in said memher, and provid u with means for receiving a movable object, and means for imparting a thrust to said diaphragm, substantially as set forth. f a k 5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a substantially dish shaped substantially dish shaped base'member provided with a central openingand with an annular row of recesses or pockets, a buckled diaphragm secured to said member and closing the opening in the center and provided with means for receiving a movable object, and means extending beyond the side of the base member for imparting a thrust to the diaphragm, substantially as set forth,

1 7. In a device of the classdeseribed, a

substantially dish shaped membenprovided with a plurality of recesses or pockets, a retaining overhanging ring aroundithe 'pe; riphery of said member a 'bu'ckl cl diaphragm centrally arrange in. sai ember and provided with, means for receiving a movable object,and a lever pigotgd in said opening-and having. a retaining ring or W l arranged around and above the peripher ing therein, a lever pivoted in the said member and extending beycndthe same and provided with a finger piece, the "said member terminating at its] op osite, end at or near the center of the dia-p ragm, and a stop for 15 limiting the movement of said lever, sub- I stantially as set forth.-

This s ecification .signedand witnessed this 2nd ay of May; 19 12 ALEXANDER N. PIERMAN.

Witnesses: H; Damn,-

ELEANOR Rmnnh;

member for imparting an initialthrust to said diaphragm, substantially as set. forth.

-8: In a device of the class described, asubstantially dish shapedmember provided with a central opening'and an annula row of recesses or pockets" arranged arolind said thereof,; a buckled diaphragm secured to said member and closing the central openi. for live cents each, byaddmssing'the "Commissioner 61? Patents.

washington n.

copies of this patent 'may 'be obtained 

